Harris swallowed that with much salt. The concept of altruism was not unknown on Darruu, certainly, but it seemed highly improbable that a planet would go to the trouble of sending emissaries across space for the sole purpose of serving as midwives to an emerging race of super-beings on Earth.
No, he thought. It was simply part of an elaborate propaganda maneuver whose motives did not lie close to the surface. There were no supermen. Wrynn was probably a Medlin himself, on whom the surgeons had done a specially good job.
Whatever the Medlins' motive, he determined to play along with them. By now Carver had probably picked up his distress signal and had worked out the location of the place where he was being held.
He said, "So you're busily raising a breed of super-Earthmen, and you want me to help? How?"
"We told you. By disposing of your comrades before they make things complicated for us."
"You're asking me to commit treason against my people, in other words."
"We know what sort of a man you are," Beth said. "You aren't in sympathy with the Darruui imperialistic ideals. You may think you are, but you aren't."
I'll play along, Harris thought. He said, "You're right. I didn't want to take the job on Earth in the first place. What can I do to help?"
Coburn and Beth exchanged glances. The "Earthman" Wrynn merely smiled.
Beth said, "I knew you'd cooperate. The first target is the man who calls himself Carver. Get rid of him and the Darruui agents are without a nerve-center. After him, the other eight will be easy targets."